We know little about gopher tortoises in captivity or longevity. How long is she likely to live? She has laid eggs on a couple of occasions but infertile of course
Yes reptiles are scarce, apart from Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) the sole surviving member of its order which originated in the Triassic period, 3 equally archaic species of frog (all endangered and highly protected) and a few skinks. No snakes either native or imported. nor native turtles or...
Normally in summer she has the run of the back garden. It is fenced for her, She eats what she finds in the garden (organic), with supplementary feeds such as prickly pear, and greens. She is very seasonal with her eating, for instance she devours clover flowers at the start of summer but...
We have had a gopher tortoise in our family for 57 years. They are extremely rare here. My parents bought her when they were first married, I think for the equivalent of more than a weeks wages. She was estimated to be about 12 years old at the time. A neighbour owned a pet shop and imported...